1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications and, more particularly, to pre-connection activities.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous consumer devices, such as TiVo®, WebTV, and DirectTV®, can require connectivity to an external source via a telephony line in order to enable certain device features. These consumer devices can often contain information stores that record important events within the consumer device itself. Periodically, the external source can be synchronized with the information store of the consumer device.
For example, some broadcast satellite receivers contain pay-per-view options allowing users to view otherwise restricted programs for a designated price. The broadcast satellite receivers can grant a predetermined amount of paid services without needing external source authorization. Periodically, however, the broadcast satellite receivers utilize telephony lines to update external source records. The receiver can establish a telephony connection with the external data source, thereafter exchanging data across a voice channel utilizing modems attached to both the communicating devices. Accordingly, a customer can be properly charged for services utilized as the external data source information is properly synchronized with the data source.
The aforementioned method, however, can be inefficient. Often, an external source can contact the consumer device only to discover that no change in the information stored within the external device has occurred. Nevertheless, the external source incurred the connectivity expense associated with querying the consumer device. Consumers can become dissatisfied with respect to both the toll costs incurred as well as the usage of their telephone line at unexpected moments.